This offseason in Major League Baseball is shaping up to be the most productive so far, as many talented players have traded teams for big money.
New York Yankees top free agent Juan Soto broke the MLB contract record by signing a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets.
Soto’s contract surpassed the previous record held by Shohei Ohtani when he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $700 million last year.
While it may seem like an easy choice to just accept the offer that has the most money, not all players feel that way.
Former Atlanta Brave Chipper Jones revealed why he took less money to stay with the Braves.
“I would do anything, especially take a little less money, to secure my future and for us to be competitive here in Atlanta,” Jones said, via Foul Territory “X.”
“I probably took less than I would have made on the free agent market.”@RealCJ10 explains why he sacrificed a few extra dollars to stay in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/QjiIOxKn5p
— FoulTerritory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 29, 2024
Jones explains that the Braves often can’t make offers similar to those made by some of the bigger teams on the market.
As for money, Jones was willing to take a little less to stay with the Braves because he knew they would be competitive with the roster they had.
Jones had an impressive MLB career that began in 1993 and ended in 2012, with all 19 of his career seasons played with the Braves.
His career numbers include a .303 batting average with 468 home runs, 1,623 RBI and a .930 OPS.
It will be interesting to hear Jones’ take on contracts, and it will be interesting to see if other players take the same approach with the record deals that come their way.
